The Origin of Species
by Jacal Ste. Worme
Summary: Read on to see the Professor's journey before he created the Powerpuff Girls. Rated T for suggested adult themes.


AN: Hi, everyone. (: I was watching Powerpuff Girls the other night and I just had this crazy idea pop into my head when I realized that I actually found the Professor hot. XD Take note that the fic will revolve around the Professor and what happened before he created the Powerpuff Girls. Hope some of you will read and enjoy. (:

* * *

John Utonium avoided the pathetic look Jim –the janitor of their floor –gave him as he made his way towards the kitchenette of his laboratory to get a cup of coffee. He should have been off to the sink to gargle off his morning breath, but he knew he needed to get some caffeine else he wouldn't be able to stay up for long. As he took a sip of the bitter cold coffee, as a morning ritual, he wished he would just collapse out of exhaustion and die. He wouldn't want to live any longer, truth be told. He had managed to get caught in a whirlwind of projects that left him like this –helplessly poor and lonely… not to mention he was also broke and celibate.

College life was not like this. John was the famous smart-ass who got what he wanted. All the girls flirted with him, all the young men worshipped looked up at him like he was a god. They were envious of him. He had the major brains and the looks to go with it, he was young, too, considering he had been accelerated one too many times before he reached college. For as long as he can remember, he had been dubbed 'The Professor' because he outsmarted the university lecturers who prided themselves with doctorate degrees and all that status crap. Life was going to be easy after school, he told himself then. He got offers from exclusive companies; corporations hunted him like dog to a bone. Everyone wanted him but John, stating that he wanted to live a peaceful, normal life, decided to serve Cityville, his hometown, so that he could repay all the scholarships he afforded all his school years.

However, instead of working for Cityville like he had originally planned, where he was supposed to come up with the greatest inventions to make life easier and the city progress, he had been placed in Townsville. Rumor was, the new mayor was a disappointing mess. The Government didn't explain much and John couldn't argue, especially when he was surrounded by armed men in the middle of nowhere explaining to him that they require his full cooperation about aiding Townsville. The Government said that Townsville was a very rich city in terms of natural resources and the people were just 'fantastic' and to watch it shrivel down to nothing would be a shame. John didn't bother to question the new mayor's resume, knowing they were but a puppet to the whole scene. The men in suits didn't explain much to the Professor, but he knew that they were keeping Townsville under supervision and John was going to play a major role in it. John read between the lines as always, but he could never be too sure, especially when he met the little old man who called himself 'Mayor'. Maybe he was over analyzing everything, maybe his mind was just needed to keep the city intact. Besides, the redhead in the room was smokin' hot that when it was time for her to convince him, he almost agreed with a song.

So now he was here, stuck in his excuse of a laboratory, with a freaking sick monkey who didn't know how to respond to orders. They gave it to him to test his experiments on, which was against his principles, so instead, he started to treat it like a pet. They became too friendly, in fact, that Joe (the monkey's name), once left to his own, drank a beaker of chemicals and seemed to be sickly since then. Now all Joe did was stare into space.

The Government –who the hell were they, he didn't know, forgot all about him. They left him to rot in Townsville. They forgot to give him his allowances on purpose that every time he called to get a paycheck, they would say he wasn't even doing his job. Results are never obtained overnight, he argued to them, but they would easily snap back that it was not their fault. So once in a while, he'd get a check, yes, but those were for the things he needed for his experiments. Personal needs were from the extra he got ever he got a discount buying materials. He was so poor that when his stomach grumbled, he ignored it, knowing it was just time to stop working and take a short nap. His light and only snacks came twice a day –he could never afford to overuse the cheap economy pack of cup noodles he bought every two weeks.

John Utonium –star student of Cityville U, was now a starving scientist of Townsville. Nobody knew him so nobody bothered to care, except for Jim the Janitor, who swore to the heavens that he would not reveal that he had been living off on the lab. He was an orphan so he wouldn't know who to call for help. He was so smart they thought he could invent food –which he tried but failed helplessly.

He was trying to develop an energy drink to keep him awake for days without side effects. Maybe he should start inventing some for himself, he figured, because no one really kept tabs on him… Well, unless Jim was a spy… Or Joe…

"Professor?"

He blinked.

"Professor?" Jim's voice interrupted him back to reality.

John turned his sleepy gaze towards the janitor and saw he was positioned at the door to leave. "Yes?"

"Will you be fine here, Professor?" Jim asked, obviously concerned. He smiled at the young man. "Now you don't have to be all shy if you're in need of more food. I'm more than willing to give you some of my lunch when I come over."

How could he have been so low? He was really pathetic… "Thanks, Jim. I'm grateful to know you're such a good friend."

"I'm a bit worried about the monkey, though, Prof," the janitor said, scratching his head, frowning at the stunned primate. "He doesn't look fine to me… Is he dying?"

He hoped so, John thought, thinking that it was better for Jim to die than suffer any longer… the way he was suffering now. But he should be optimistic, so John grinned at Jim. "Let's just hope he'll be better soon, Jim. Joe's my only company and I wouldn't want him gone."

Jim nodded in understanding –which made the Professor all the more sorrier for himself. He dusted off his green cap which matched his green overalls and put it back on his head. "I gotta go downstairs, Prof. Are you sure you don't want me to bring you anything?"

The Professor shook his head and waved the man away with a polite smile. He was a loser. How could someone like Jim offer him something like that? Shouldn't he be the one giving back something to people like Jim? It was the other way around… Staring at the line of drool on Joe's pale lips, John "The Professor" Utonium felt like a failure.

* * *

In the middle of a sleepless night on the cold laboratory floor, away from all the dangerous chemicals he was working on, the Professor tossed and turned. He was used to the cold, hard floor. However, he was not used to the silence –which was one of the reasons that he never got enough sleep. The laboratory was quite sealed from the world, to avoid any unnecessary accidents. He could open some windows but he was too terrified that someone or something might come in and make a mess of things. He could not risk further damage. And Joe could get stolen. He couldn't stomach that.

As he turned to his right, he opened his eyes a bit to get a glimpse of Joe and to John's surprise, a pair of bright beady eyes stared at him in the darkness. He gasped in surprise –almost gave him a heart attack. "JOE!"

It was the strangest things he has ever felt in his life. Joe, his pet monkey, was smoothing the top of his head. Other people would have freaked out by this, but John Utonium saw something else. Something sparked behind Joe's eyes, something he never thought possible. In the darkness, John perfectly saw the glaze of emotion in Joe's orbs.

He must have passed out, but he slept a peaceful sleep that night…

* * *

"Joe! Joe!"

Joe crawled closer to him and took his hand.

"Wow! You really can understand me!" John exclaimed enthusiastically, patting Joe's head. "According to my observation, you seem to respond to your name when called twice…" An idea popped into his head. Walking further back, he called, "Jojo!" Immediately, Joe run to him and embraced his knees. John laughed happily, all the stress melting away as he and Joe shared a moment of truth. "From now on, your name will be Jojo!" Joe responded just as ecstatically, jumping up and down.

John Utonium sighed in relief as he watched Jojo bounce happily on his feet because of his new name. It was then that he thought, he was going to do it. This was a start.

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AN: Please leave some sugar. (:


End file.
